Amish leadership from Idaho, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Switzerland were in Israel November 21-27 to issue a declaration of repentance to Israel and the Israeli people.

According to a news release from the Israel Ministry of Tourism, the apology was issued by Amish Bishop Ben Girod, along with many other leaders of the Amish community.

The 45-person delegation toured Israel. However, the Ministry of Tourism said, their primary motivation for being there was to ask for forgiveness and hold reconciliation meetings with rabbis, city officials, and Israeli families and say, “We are sorry for rejecting Israel; please forgive us.”

Among those people the delegation met with were Mayor Deputy Ms. Neomi Tzur of Jerusalem; Shaya Ben Yehuda, the Managing Director of International Relations at Yad Vashem; Holocaust survivor Eliezer Ayalon; and Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch, Rabbi of the Western Wall.

Israeli Channel 2 News covered the meeting of the delegation with Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch at the Western Wall.

“We were excited to welcome Bishop Ben Girod and those accompanying him to Israel, the land of the Bible,” said Haim Gutin, Israel Commissioner for Tourism, North and South America, speaking in a news release.

He added, “We are confident that their lives and faith were transformed in Israel, because we know that once you visit Israel - you will never be the same.”

With its main headquarters for North America in New York, the Israel Ministry of Tourism leads the State of Israel's efforts at maintaining a strong tourism industry.

ANS